Numerical simulation of a torrential rain event in the northeast of Huaihe Basin. Part II: Instability conditions and the mechanism of intensification and maintenance

Abstract

Based on the simulation displayed in Part I of this study, the intensification and maintenance, the relationship between deep moist mesoscale convective system (DMMCS) and instability, convective vorticity vector (CVV) are analyzed in the present paper. Results show that: (1) middle-low level convective instability is the precondition of the occurrence of DMMCS. The convergence and merger enhancement of convection cells, as well as the convective instability energy transporting from the left-front of typhoon play an essential role in the re-establishment and enhancement of convective instability. (2) Baroclinic instability and conditional symmetric instability appear not only in the middle-low level, but also are distinct in the middle-upper level of DMMCS. (3) In DMMCS, there is an alternative distribution of inertial instability column and inertial stability column. In the west and south, there are negative CVV columns, which is favorable for the burst of deep moist convection. (4) The strong slantwise convection induced by inertial instability, baroclinic instability, and conditional symmetric instability enhance the upper-level southerly component. Due to the appearance of the compensated downdraft at the low level of south side of DMMCS, the low level southerly intensified, and the enhancement of upper- and low-level cores is in favor of the development of DMMCS, which will be beneficial to the reinforcement and maintenance of inertial instability, baroclinic instability, and conditional symmetric instability. It is a positive feedback process. (5) There is a downshear circulation to the east of rainfall cell. Shallow convections near this cell absorb the vapor and instability energy coming from the south. In the meanwhile, the mesoscale convergence line and meso-β-scale vortex organize and intensify convective cells. In DMMCS, there is an alternative distribution of convergence and divergence columns, and the couple between strong divergence and vorticity columns. They are both conducive to the development of DMMCS, and the instability will be intensified and maintained for its development in depth.